Enhanced expression of adenovirus-mediated sodium iodide symporter gene in MCF-7 breast cancer cells with retinoic acid treatment.

Increased expression of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) is required for effective radioiodine treatment and reporter gene imaging of breast cancer. We investigated the effect of retinoic acid on adenovirus-mediated expression of the human NIS gene in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. METHODS: The MCF-7 cell line was infected with recombinant adenovirus carrying the human NIS gene (Rad-NIS). Levels of NIS messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression and radioiodine ((125)I) uptake were measured to evaluate adenovirus-mediated NIS gene expression in wild-type and Rad-NIS-infected MCF-7 cells after treatment with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA; 10(-8)-10(-6) mol/L). RESULTS: The transduction efficiency of adenovirus in MCF-7 cells at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 50 was >60%. After incubation with 10(-6) mol/L ATRA, the mRNA level in Rad-NIS-infected MCF-7 cells increased to 118.5 times that of wild-type MCF-7 cells, whereas the mRNA level in wild-type MCF-7 cells showed only a 2.1-fold increase. Western blot, immunocytochemical staining, and flow cytometry analyses showed that NIS protein expression in MCF-7 cells infected with Rad-NIS increased after ATRA treatment. With ATRA treatment, the amount of (125)I uptake increased in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.001). The (125)I uptake in wild-type MCF-7 cells increased 3.1-, 5.5-, and 7.6-fold with treatment with 10(-8), 10(-7), and 10(-6) mol/L ATRA, respectively. Rad-NIS-infected cells showed a 4.0-fold increase in (125)I uptake. Treatment of Rad-NIS-infected cells with 10(-8), 10(-7), and 10(-6) mol/L ATRA increased (125)I uptake by 4.9-, 8.2-, and 27.6-fold, respectively, compared with wild-type MCF-7 cells. The level of NIS expression in Rad-NIS-infected MCF-7 cells treated with 10(-6) mol/L ATRA (245.0 +/- 13.7 pmol/10(6) cells) was much greater than the sum of the expression levels seen in ATRA-treated wild-type cells and Rad-NIS-infected wild-type cells. CONCLUSION: Retinoic acid increases adenovirus-mediated NIS expression in MCF-7 cells. Our results indicate that improved efficiency of NIS gene therapy or reporter imaging in breast cancer may be possible with retinoic acid treatment.     

Pulmonary nodules 10 mm or less in diameter with ground-glass opacity component detected by high-resolution computed tomography have a high possibility of malignancy

OBJECTIVES: For the histological diagnosis of small lung cancers of 10 mm or less in diameter (< or =10), resection by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) with computed tomography (CT)-guided marking is feasible. One problem is that a small number of these pulmonary nodules are malignant. We retrospectively analyzed CT images of pulmonary nodules to find better criteria to select candidates for resection among patients with small pulmonary nodules. METHODS: Ninety-four patients with indeterminate peripheral pulmonary nodules underwent wedge resection by VATS. High-resolution CT using a 1.25 mm slice included the area of lesions. Nodules were classified by size (< or =10, 11 to 20, >20 mm) and whether they had a ground-glass opacity (GGO) component. RESULTS: The histology of all 94 nodules showed 52 primary lung cancers, 6 metastatic tumors, 5 benign tumors, 8 intrapulmonary lymph nodes, and 23 inflammatory nodules. Ninety-three percent of nodules larger than 20 mm, 75% of nodules 10 to 20 mm, and 43% of nodules < or =10 mm were malignant. Introducing a classification according to GGO component to nodules, malignancy was detected in 88% of nodules with a GGO component and in 30% of nodules without a GGO component among nodules < or =10 mm. Nodules < or =10 mm with a GGO component showed a statistically significant (p < 0.01) correlation with malignancy. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary nodules < or =10 mm with GGO should be considered to have a high possibility of malignancy and to be candidates for resection by VATS.     

Successful treatment of periungual warts using photodynamic therapy: a pilot study

AIM: The aim of this pilot study was an investigation on photodynamic therapy (PDT) whether it is a good alternative for treating periungual and subungual warts of the hands. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty patients (mean age: 30.5 years) with a total of 40 periungual and subungual warts were treated with PDT. A photosensitizer, 20%delta-aminolevulinic acid was applied on the warts. After a mean incubation time of 4.6 h (SD: 1.2), the warts were irradiated with the VersaLight for 5-30 min (15.2 +/- 4.3 min). RESULTS: After a mean of 4.5 treatments a mean clearance of 100% was achieved in 90% of the patients. One patient (5%) showed a clearance of 50% and another showed no improvement. The subungual or periungual location of the wart had no influence on the number of treatments or end result (P > 0.05). There were two recurrences during the mean follow-up period of 5.9 months (SD: 7.6). Besides mainly pain and hyperpigmentation, most treatments had no side-effects. CONCLUSION: PDT can offer a good alternative for treating periungual warts of the hands. Larger studies are indicated.     

Comparison of functional results with navigation-assisted minimally invasive and conventional techniques in bilateral total knee arthroplasty.

This study was undertaken to compare the clinical and radiological results achieved using navigation-assisted minimally invasive surgery (NA-MIS) and conventional (CON) techniques in 42 bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients with a minimum follow-up of one year. Clinical evaluations were performed using range of motion (ROM), Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) scores, and Western Ontario and McMaster University (WOMAC) scores (pain, functional, and total) at 3, 6 and 9 months and one year postoperatively. Patients' subjective preferences and radiological indices, including mechanical axis and coronal inclinations of the prostheses, were compared at one year postoperatively. NA-MIS TKA yielded better HSS and WOMAC total scores than CON TKA up to six months, and a better WOMAC pain score up to 9 months. However, these differences were not significant at one year postoperatively. ROM was comparable in both groups at all times, but more patients preferred the NA-MIS side to the CON side. Radiological results showed no differences in mean values between the two surgical groups, although the NA-MIS group contained fewer outliers than the CON group. In conclusion, NA-MIS TKA was associated with better clinical results up to 6 or 9 months after surgery, giving more accurate leg alignment than CON TKA.     

The study of diethylstilbestrol toxic effect in the mouse sertoli cell line by comparison of miRNA and mRNA expression

It is important to acknowledge the harmful effects of environmental chemicals in human’s lives. The toxic effects of Diethylstilbestrol (DES), one of the endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), have been documented in many studies. As expected, DES affect male gendal hormone as well as female’s; therefore, epigenetic study should be considered. In this study, microarray technology was used to study harmful effects on the level of genomics, and here, two types of microarray chips- the Agilent mouse genome 4 × 44 K array for gene expression profiling and the Agilent mouse miRNA v13 for miRNA expression profiling-was used to study the relation between gene and miRNA expression profiles. As a result, we identified 4 miRNAs (miR 203, 350, 421, and 466i) that were similarly expressed at 3 hrs and 24 hrs of DES treat times. Twenty one genes matched between predicted target for 4 miRNAs and 118 genes expressed similarly. These genes have functions related to cell differentiation and cell cycle. Therefore, DES affects cellular function and induces toxicity in TM4 cells. In future studies, it is necessary to find more related functions and mechanisms of DES in the system.     

Stereoselective metabolism of lansoprazole by human liver cytochrome P450 enzymes.

The stereoselective metabolism of lansoprazole enantiomers was evaluated by incubation of human liver microsomes and cDNA-expressed cytochrome p450 (p450) enzymes to understand and predict their stereoselective disposition in humans in vivo. The intrinsic clearances (Clint) of the formation of both hydroxy and sulfone metabolites from S-lansoprazole were 4.9- and 2.4-fold higher than those from the R-form, respectively. The sums of formation Clint of both metabolites were 13.5 and 57.3 microl/min/mg protein for R- and S-lansoprazole, respectively, suggesting that S-lansoprazole would be cleared more rapidly than the R-form. The p450 isoform selective inhibition study in liver microsomes, and the incubation study of cDNA-expressed enzymes, demonstrated that the stereoselective sulfoxidation is mediated by CYP3A4 and that the hydroxylation is mediated by CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 as well as by CYP2C19. Total Clint values of hydroxy and sulfone metabolite formation catalyzed by all these p450 enzymes were consistently higher for S-lansoprazole than for the R-form. The CYP3A4 produced the greatest difference of Clint between S- and R-enantiomers, mainly due to a difference of sulfoxidation metabolism (Clint 76.5 versus 10.8 microl/min/nmol of p450, respectively), whereas CYP2C19-catalyzed hydroxylation resulted in a minor difference of Clint between S- and R-enantiomers (179.6 versus 143.3 microl/min/nmol of p450, respectively). However, the affinity of CYP2C19 on hydroxylation was 5.7-fold higher for S-enantiomer than for the R-form (Km 2.3 versus 13.1 microM), suggesting that the role of CYP2C19 on stereoselective hydroxylation would be more prominent at concentrations around the usual therapeutic level. These findings suggest that both CYP2C19 and CYP3A4 are major enzymes contributing to the stereoselective disposition of lansoprazole, but stereoselective hydroxylation of lansoprazole enantiomers is mainly influenced by CYP2C19, especially at the usual therapeutic doses.     

Prescribing strengthening exercises for my patients: which equipment should I select?

This paper examines various devices used in strength building exercise programs. These include free weights, pulley machines, variable resistance weight machines, isokinetic units and elastic tubing and banding. Advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed and examined from the view point of the health care provider and the suitability of each type of device for prescribed progressive resistance exercise programs for patients. In addition to such practical aspects such as cost and maintenance, biomechanical factors, types of contraction elicited, ease of patient instruction and proprioception benefits are also compared in order to assist the clinician in selecting the most appropriate equipment for each individual patient.